The need for a single public culture - the creation of an authentic identity - is fundamental to our understanding of nationalism and nationhood. This book examines British imperial, colonial and postcolonial national identities within their political and social contexts.

This clear and concise new introduction examines all the major debates and issues using a wide range of well-known examples. Importantly, this book explains how the traditional emphasis on periods and styles originates in western art production and can obscure other approaches, as well as art from non-western cultures.